Drone Threat

45

Lane’s Oval Office phone rang.

“Mr. President, Ambassadors Tarkovsky and al-Saud have arrived.”

“Show them in, please.”

“The cavalry’s finally here,” Chandler said. Lane glanced at Pearce, who shook his head disapprovingly.

The two ambassadors entered. Chandler greeted them first with enthusiastic handshakes.

Lane, likewise, stood and shook their hands. “Thank you both for coming on such short notice.”

“Of course, Mr. President,” al-Saud said.

“I’m at your service,” Tarvkosky said.

Lane pointed them to the couches. Pearce remained seated in his chair opposite the president, scowling. The two ambassadors noted this but said nothing. Chandler sat back, affecting calm, fighting hard to suppress a gloating smile.

“Gentlemen,” Lane said, “there’s no time for diplomatic protocols. Events over the last three days have spun out of control. I’ve called you here to lay my cards out on the table, and I’m asking you both to do the same.”

Both ambassadors nodded.

“As you both know, three days ago I received a message delivered by a drone threatening to unleash hell on my country if I didn’t raise the black flag of ISIS over the White House. Unfortunately, my security services have been unable either to find or stop the culprits from carrying out these attacks.”

“My embassy has been carefully tracking your news services. There hasn’t been any reporting on any catastrophic event that we know of,” Tarkovsky said.

“How bad have the casualties been?” al-Saud asked.

“Because the casualties have been relatively light, and because of cooperation from our major media outlets, we’ve been able to keep a lid on these events, but it won’t be long before these stories break. As you can both well imagine, if the public gets wind of this before I can assure them we have the situation under control, there will be mass panic. Markets will crash here and around the globe. I’m also concerned about the potential for mob violence against Muslim people here.”

“How bad can the attacks have been if there haven’t been any casualties?” al-Saud asked.

“Some members of my security council believe that the attacks have been intentionally limited in their lethality, but the potential for mass casualties appears to be very real. The last attack especially so.”

“And what is the nature of that attack?” Tarkovsky asked.

“You don’t need to know,” Pearce said.

Tarkovsky darkened. “Perhaps we would like to prepare our defenses against such an attack ourselves.”

Lane waved Pearce off. “You’re right, Aleksandr. In the spirit of full disclosure, I can tell you that there was a credible threat against our public water system. The entire national system.”

Shock washed over al-Saud’s face.

Tarkovsky shifted in his seat, skeptical. “How is such a feat possible?”

“My security people will contact yours shortly with details so you can take the necessary precautions. Yours too, Faisal.”

“Thank you,” al-Saud said. “My desert country is even more vulnerable to such a water threat than your two great nations.”

Pearce nodded, intrigued. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?”

“I trust you have decided against flying the Daesh flag?” al-Saud asked.

“Of course,” Lane said. “Over the protest of some of my cabinet.”

“Flying that flag would be as symbolic to the killers as the downing of the Twin Towers. Perhaps greater,” al-Saud said. “It would raise up a new army of recruits overnight.”

“We agree,” Chandler said.

“Many recruits from Saudi Arabia, no doubt,” Pearce said.

Al-Saud shook his head, grieved. “Unfortunately.”

“Which is why His Majesty’s government is as committed to the destruction of ISIS as we are,” Chandler said.

Al-Saud nodded toward Chandler. “Thank you for understanding our predicament, Mr. Vice President.”

“You must forgive Mr. Pearce. He has a hard time seeing the big picture,” Chandler said.

“If you won’t fly the flag and you can’t find the terrorists, what option do you have other than war?” Tarkovsky asked.

“None,” Lane said. “That’s why you’re both here. I need to make a decision and I need to make it quickly. Maybe I’m naive but I think candor is the best form of diplomacy. And in all candor, I’m trying to assess whether or not I want the cooperation of either or both of your countries in a ground war against ISIS.”

“It’s obviously not a matter of fighting capacities,” Chandler added. “But the president wants to determine if we are all of similar minds on the issue. Whether or not our interests are mutually aligned.”

“I am a scientist by training first, and then a diplomat,” Tarkovsky said. “I believe in facts and the facts are clear. ISIS is a threat to everyone in this room. We have a large and restive Muslim population within our borders and an even more aggressive population beyond them. My government is completely prepared to join your country in any way feasible to destroy ISIS, including the use of our own troops on the ground.”

“Unconditionally?” Lane asked.

“Of course not. The West imposed heavy economic sanctions on my country for the war in Ukraine. Those must be lifted immediately as a sign of good faith. We must also be treated as equal partners in this conflict. A grand alliance, much the same way our two countries allied against the fascists in the Great Patriotic War.”

So you’ll do the right thing as long as we bribe you to do it, Pearce wanted to say. He held his tongue instead.

“Mr. President, this is a historic opportunity to restore balance and peace in the world,” Chandler said. “Thanks to your initiative in Asia, we will be partnering with China to bring stability to that region. Now we can partner with Russia to bring the same kind of stability to Europe and the Middle East.”

“Would your government feel comfortable with an American-Russian hegemony over your part of the world?” Lane asked al-Saud.

Pearce felt his iWatch tap the inside of his wrist. He discreetly checked the face. An incoming call from Myers. He hesitated. Pressed Ignore.

“Nature abhors a vacuum,” al-Saud said. “Shia and Sunni radicals are rushing to fill it. Nothing but war and bloodshed are before us unless it can be stopped. Frankly, I don’t believe you need the assistance of the Russians to accomplish the goal of peace and stability in the Middle East if you’re willing to partner with us.” Al-Saud turned to Tarkovsky. “But to answer your question directly, Mr. President, my government would feel perfectly comfortable with a joint American-Russian alliance so long as the destruction of Daesh and its heretical Caliphate were the objective and so long as we are permitted a role in the campaign.”

Tarkovsky smiled appreciatively. “Excellent.”

“Outstanding,” Chandler said, beaming.

“I have two concerns,” Pearce said.

Chandler rolled his eyes.

“Speak your mind, Troy. It’s why you’re here,” Lane said.

Pearce glared at al-Saud. “First of all, a lot of ISIS funding and support have come from members of your own royal family. You just said that ISIS is a Sunni group. Some have suggested that your own government is behind the rise of ISIS as a way to blunt Shia aspirations in the region.”

“That’s a lie concocted by radical Israelis and Iranian fanatics.”

“But if it is true, then what steps will your government take to ensure that ISIS is, indeed, wiped off the map and not supported or protected in some other form in the future?”

Al-Saud felt the heat rise in his face. “I assure you that supporting ISIS by anyone in my country is illegal, whether directly or indirectly. But additional, harsher steps are being taken even as I speak to enforce those laws.” Al-Saud calmed himself down. “And it’s well known that I and other members of my family are moving as quickly as possible to tamp down the more radical elements of the Salafist intellectuals in our country. My personal goal is to see an end to exporting their zealous interpretation of the Koran through the madrassas they sponsor around the world.”

“Can we get that in writing?” Pearce asked. “‘Personal goals’ are hard to quantify.”

Al-Saud turned to Lane. “You asked for complete candor and I’m giving it. If we rush our political reforms too quickly, we will radicalize our own population. But I assure you that those of us in power fully realize that the genie has been let out of the bottle. We’re determined to slay the genie and smash the bottle. But it all begins with the destruction of Daesh.”

Lane nodded. “I understand, and I accept your word on the subject.”

“Thank you.”

Lane nodded to Pearce. “What was your other concern?”

Pearce learned forward. Time to play the card Moshe had dealt him. “I’d like to know why the two of you met secretly recently and what that meeting was about.”

Chandler’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s not uncommon for diplomats to talk, Mr. Pearce. I make no apology for doing my duty,” al-Saud said.

Tarkovsky turned to Lane. “Normally I don’t discuss my government’s private affairs with other heads of state, Mr. President, but since this is an unusual time, I’m happy to disclose the content of our meeting. Both of our governments are concerned that your country does not have the will to lead at this time. We were exploring the possibilities available to us in the event you decided to adhere to your ‘no new boots on the ground’ policy.”

Pearce’s iWatch tapped again. This time it was a text. Once again he discreetly rotated his wrist. He read the text.

“Oh, God.”